APLU News

The university has won a prestigious national honor for improving its retention and graduation rates. At its meeting this morning in Orlando, the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities honored UT with its “Most Visible Progress” Trailblazer award. Now in its second year, the award encourages colleges and universities to make retention and graduation a high priority by rewarding and highlighting programs that work.

Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek has joined 193 other US university leaders in signing a letter that urges President Barack Obama and members of Congress to close an “innovation deficit” by improving funding for scientific research and education. “At UT, we are doing great research that impacts people’s lives—but we could be doing so much more,” Cheek said. “Additional funding for research is directly linked to problem solving and job creation.”

Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek is a featured speaker today at a gathering of public land grant universities at North Carolina State University. Cheek will be addressing UT’s economic development goals and initiatives as part of the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities panel moderated by APLU President Peter McPherson. Cheek is one of three top campus leaders asked to contribute to the discussion.

Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek is now on the board of directors of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, the nation’s oldest, and one of its leading, higher education associations. He also has been appointed chairman of APLU’s Commission on Food, Environment and Renewable Resources and a member of its Energy Forum.